Hell of a headline

Press, 19 December 1986, Page 21

Hell of a headline

A Scottish newspaper editor has been threatened with criminal action for using the word “hellish” in a headline about church fire safety precautions, writes Robin Charteris from London. Mr Jeremy Hodges, editor of the 150-year-old weekly, “The John O’Groat Journal,” was summoned to the office of the Caithness prosecutor, Procura-tor-Fiscal Mr David Kingston, to be shown letters of complaint about the word. Later, Mr Kingston wrote to Mr Hodges saying that no action would be taken this time,

but that a repetition could land him in court. The headline, “Hellish Worry of Church Fires,” appeared on a report of a meeting of the Caithness Presbytery of the Church of Scotland at which ministers concerned about fire safety in their churches were advised to consult local fire officers. In his written warning, Mr Kingston told the editor: “The headline in particular is unac-

ceptable in its choice of words, its irreverence and irrelevance.” According to the London “Daily Telegraph,” there was speculation in Scottish media circles about what charge the editor could have faced. It quoted a lawyen “One of the definitions of breach of the peace charge, for example, is any conduct which may make somebody else commit a breach of the peace — like someone becoming so incensed by cer-

tain conduct that he takes the law into his own hands.” The lawyer referred to a case long ago of a person being charged with a breach of the peace because he prayed too long in church. “It was conduct that was liable to make other people commit a breach of the peace because they got so upset at this religious eccentric.” Mr Hodges says he does not understand how publication of the headline could be a

criminal offence. “The term ‘hellish’ was used in the colloquial sense as meaning highly unpleasant, just as heavenly is regularly used in common speech to mean very pleasant,” he adds. “The term was not used in a theological sense, and there was certainly no disrespect intended to the church or the Almighty.” Whatever the intention, the “Telegraph” commented, a Highland lawyer had this advice for the editor. “It is the practice of the Fiscal to send letters of warning to alleged offenders and, believe me, you seldom get a second warning.”